Off-spot locator and spare pickup for bowling machines



OFF-SPOT LOCATOR AND SPARE PICKUP FOR BOWLING MACHINES Ah. 19, 1952 T.c. PULVINO 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed Dec. 8. 1949 Thomas C. Pulw'no IN V ENTOR.

Aug. 19, 1952 'r. c. PULVINO OFF-SPOT LOCATOR AND SPARE PICKUP FORBOWLING MACHINES Filed Dec. 8, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Fig.3.

Thomas 6. Pu/w'no INVENTOR.

Patented Aug. 19, 1952 This invention comprises novel and usefulimprovements in bowling pin respotting devices, andmoreparticularlypertains to a bowling pin pickup device.

.An important object of this invention is to pro vide a bowling. pinpickup device which willautomatically retain a bowling pin thrusttherein and selectively discharge a. bowling pin therefrom.

Another object of this invention in accordance with they foregoingobject, is to provide a bowling pin pickup device which will not damagethe bowling pins, which is of simple construction yet durable and highlyefficient for the purposes intended. I v I An important feature of thisinvention resides in the provision for a bowling pin pickup devicehavinga unidirectionally yieldable bowling pin constriction therein. I

Another important feature of this invention resides in theprovision formeans for selectively opening the constriction to discharge bowling pinstherefrom. i

Anothenfeature of this invention resides in the -provision'for fingershaving bifurcated pin embracing ends.

These, together with various ancillary objects and featuresare attainedby this device, a preferred embodiment of which hasbeen illustrated byway ofexample only in the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is aperspective elevational view of the bowling pin pickup device shownengaging a bowling pin. v

Figure 2 is a fragmentary elevational side view of the bowling pinpickup device, showing details of bowling pin engaging fingers. v V

Figure 3 isa fragmentary elevational top view of thebowling'pin pickupdevice when engaging a bowling'pin shown in section.

"Figure 4 is a fragmentary top plan view of a bowling pin respottingboard towhich the bowling pin pickup device is to be attached.

In bowling, after the first ball has been rolled, all pins which havebeen knocked down, generallytermed deadwood, must be removed, and allpins remaining upright either in their original positions or laterallyshifted therefrom, must remain in their newly acquired positionspendingthe rolling of, the second ball.

I order to facilitate the removal of the deadwood there isgenerallyprovided a means for raisingfthe upright pins, therebypermitting the deadwood to be swept ofi the alley, the pins then beingreplaced to the positions from which they were sed- F r t sn o h r s eney:

v Thomas 0. Ifulvino, Rochester, N. Y.

Application December 8, 1949, $eria1 No. 131,874 7 Claims (01. 294-88)provided a respotting board to which a bowling ball pickup device isattached for limited lateral movement relative thereto. .1 i

In operation; the bowling pins which remain upright after the first ballis rolled and whichhave shifted from their original position by reasonof impact from the bowling ball or from another bowling pin, contact thebowling pin pickup device in such a manner as to laterally shift thepickup device relative to the respotting board thereby aligning thepickup device with the off-center bowling pin. The pickup device thenengages the bowling pin so that when the respotting board is raised, thebowling pin. is also raised, thereby permitting the deadwood to be sweptaway, after which the respotting board is again lowered and the pindischarged in the position from which it was raisedL; Bowling pin pickupdevice Referring now to the accompanying drawings wherein like numeralsdesignatesimilarparts throughout the various views, the bowling pinpickup device, indicated generally by the numeral [0, and to which thisinvention relates, is shown;

in Figure 4. attached to a bowling pin respotting board l2.

Inorderto facilitate the shifting f th bowling pin pickup device Inrelative to the respotting board'lz, the pickup device In is providedwith a downwardly and outwardly flared member which is preferably of theform of a frusto-conical section 14, the upper portion of the frustum l4receiving a sleeve l6 thereon, the sleeve being secured to the frustum,I4 in any desired manner. If the bowling pin, indicated generally by thenumeral 18, is off-center" from its original position, the head of thebowling pin [8 will engage the frustum l4 and cause a lateral shiftingthereof relative to the bowling pin respotting board I2, the lateralshifting being permitted by the means by which the pickup device isattached to the respotting board, which attachment is well known tothoseskilled in the art and forms no part of this invention. a

7 Attached to the sleeve It in any suitable manner, as by thenbrackets2uare radially disposed pin engaging fingers 22. The brackets 20preferably have arcuate shaped legs 24 ;-which embrace the sleeve. l5and are attached-;theretoby means of fasteners 26, together withoutwardly.

extending parallel arms 28 between each pair of which are pivotallyreceived, by means of ;the.

pivot pin 30 which is journaled in the arms 28,- the bowling pinengaging fingers; 22. I;

Secured to, in any desired manner such as by welding, and laterallyspacing the rear portions of the arms 28, is a block 32. To the block 32is fastened, as by the bolt 34 and washer 36, an arcuate resilientspring member 38 which slidably engages the finger 22 so as toyieldingly urge the latter downwardly. A detent pin 40 which issecuredin, or formed as part of the finger 22 engages the upper portionof the arms 28 so as to limitdownward movement ofthe fingers 22 to apreferably horizontal position.

A solenoid 42, of known construction, and havsleeve for receiving andretaining the upper poring a plunger 44 reciprocably mountednwithin itsincludingjradially disposed vertically pivotal fincore is provided, theplunger being yieldingly urged outwardly by a spring 46 or the like,which spring is secured to the outward end of the plunger 44. Thesolenoid 42 is attached to the arms 28 by a preferably U-shaped bracket48 having longitudinal s1ots50 in its upper portion, which slots receivethe .arms 28, apertures 52 being provided in the opposite ends of theUV-shaped bracket to slidably receive and guide the plunger 44, the bolt3,4,being received in the.

which forms no part of this invention, are pro-.

vided for the solenoid 42-, whereby the solenoid may be selectivelyvactuated to disengage the fingers 22 from the bowling pin l8.

7 In operation, the pickup device I is lowered overthe-bowlingpin18,thereby causing a lateral shifting-'of-the pickup devicerelative totheboard l2" aspreviously discussed, the bifurcated pinengaging extremities60 of the fingers 22 contactingthe rounded head 62 of the bowlingpin-18;the fingers 22being thereby pivoted upwardly and outwardly. Asthe neck 84- of the pin I B is 'guidingly contacted by theextremitiesdownwardly by the springs 38,-the-inwardends of fingers beingsopositioned as to loosely-receive the neck- 'ofthe bowling-pintherebetween'. 7 As the downward pivoting of thefingers 22- is limitedby the pin All engaging'the arm-28, thepin- 18 will be raised as thepickup device-I0 is raised, the head 62 of the pin [-8 beingtoolargeto-pass through the constriction formed by the fingers Releaseof the pin I8 isaccomplished by-first lowering the pickup device l0 andthen energizing the solenoid 42 to thereby actuate the plunger 44-against the spring 46, the flange 52- of the plunger engaging theprojection 56 of the fingers 22-'-to thereby upwardly pivot'thefingersand' disengage the pin I8 whereupon the pickup device- 0-mayberaised, leavingthepin I8 in substantially the position from-Whichit wasremoved.'- T i rrom the foregoing, it is believed that the constructionand operation of the device-will bereadily understood and furtherexplanationisbelieved to be" unnecessary. *Howeven since numerousmodifications will readily occur to thos skilled'in-the art after aconsideration of I the foregoingspecification and I accompanying 441sprovided, at its inner end,

: tion, Ofja; bowling pin therein, said constriction gers, meansattached to said fingers limiting downward'pivotal movement thereofbelow a horsleeve for selectively pivoting said fingers upwardly andoutwardly to discharge a bowling pin from said constriction, saidrelease means including-asolenoid, a plunger operated-by said solenoid,said plunger operatively engaging said; fingers to positively releasevsaid constriction,

2. In a movable bowling pin respotting'board; a pickup device attachedto said board for limited lateral movement relative'theret' said devicecomprising a frustum, a sleeve on said frustum, a unidirectionallyyieldable constriction ill-Said sleeve for receiving and retainingtheupper portion of a bowling pin therein, said constriction includingradially disposed vertically pivotal. fln-- gers, means attached tosaidfingers limitingdownward pivotal movement" 1 thereof, releasemeansattached to said sleeve for selectively -piv-' oting saidfingers-upwardly and outwardly to-discharge abowling pin from saidconstrictiom said release means including -a-solenoid-, a plungeroperated by said solenoid, saidsolnoid liaving a flangethereon, ashoulder on lower portion of said finger,- said flange engaging saidshoulder upon actuation of said solenoid to positively -'I'e' lease saidconstriction. l

3. A bowling pin pickup; devicefcompris'ing' a downwardly flaredhousing,a unidirectio-r-i'ally yieldable constriction on the upper end of=said-'housing for receiving and; retaining the-upper end of a bowling pin,said constriction-including; a plurality'of' elongated fingers eachhavingabowling pin-engaging end, arms on said housing; verticallypivotally attaching said fingers-"adjacent the smaller end of'saidhousing,'saidfingers extending radially inwardly of said-housing and,forming a constriction, pins on said fingers em gaging said arms forsupporting said fingers, in a horizontally disposed position,saidfingers being so constructed andarranged tozverticallypivot'upwardly when the head of a bowling pin is passed therethrough and'pivotdownwardly into a horizontally disposed position whe'nthe neck "of abowling pin, is 'received'between said fingers to prevent withdrawal ofthe pin'from the pickup; device, and means forselectively vertically-pivat ing said fingers'into their-bowling pin-releasing position, saidlast-mentioned means-includinga solenoid disposed adjacent each" ofsaidfin'gers,'- a plunger actuated by Bach-0f ai no seach engagingonefof-saidflngers tof vertically' pivotsaidflngers: l

4. A bowling pin-piokup device comprisi a downwardly flared housing;a-unieireietioneny yieldable constriction onthe upper end of saidhousing for receivingand retaining tlfe' uppr'end off a; bowling{pin-,--said constriction includi plurality-of 'elongated fingers each havin b0ing pln -engag'ln g-endg' arms ori saie housing tiertically pivotallyattaching said fingers adjacent the smaller end of said housing, saidfingers extending radially inwardly of said housing and forming aconstriction, pins on said fingers engaging said arms for supportingsaid fingers in a horizontally disposed position, said fingers being soconstructed and arranged to'vertically pivot upwardly when the head of abowling pin is passed therethrough and pivot downwardly into ahorizontally disposed position when the neck of a bowling pin isreceived between said fingers to prevent withdrawal of the pin from thepickup device, and means for selectively vertically pivoting saidfingers into their bowling pin releasing position, means yieldinglyurging said fingers into their horizontally disposed pin engagingposition.

5. A bowling pin pickup device comprising a housing havingcircumferentially spaced openings therein, a pair of relatively spacedarms attached to said housing adjacent each of said openings andextending radially outwardly therefrom, a bowling pin engaging fingervertically pivotally mounted between each of said pairs of arms, meansengaging said fingers to limit downward swinging movement of saidfingers below a horizontal position, said fingers being so constructedand arranged to vertically pivot upwardly when the head of a bowling pinis passed therebetween and pivot downwardly into a horizontally disposedposition when the neck of a bowling pin is received therebetween, asolenoid carried by said arms, and a plunger actuated by each of saidsolenoids and engaging one of said fingers to vertically pivot saidfingers to their pin release position.

6. A bowling pin pickup device comprising a housing havingcircumferentially spaced openings therein, a pair of relatively spacedarms attached to said housing adjacent each of said openings andextending radially outwardly therefrom, a bowling pin engaging fingervertically pivotally mounted between each of said pairs of arms, meansengaging said fingers to limit downward swinging movement of saidfingers below a horizontal position, said fingers being so constructedand arranged to vertically pivot upwardly when the head of a bowlin pinis passed therebetween and pivot downwardly into a horizontally disposedposition when the neck of a bowling pin is received therebetween, aplurality of U-shaped brackets each having a pair of slot in the webthereof, said slots extending perpendicular to the legs of said bracketand receiving a pair of said arms, means connecting the ends of saidpairs of arms remote from said housing to each other, means securingsaid connecting means to the bracket, a solenoid disposed between thelegs of each of said brackets, and a plunger actuated by said solenoidsand engaging said fingers to vertically pivot said fingers into theirpin release position.

7. A bowling pin pickup device comprising a housing havingcircumferentially spaced openings therein, a pair of relatively spacedarms attached to said housing adjacent each of said openings andextending radially outwardly therefrom, a bowling pin engaging fingervertically pivotally mounted between each of said pairs of arms, meansengaging said fingers to limit downward swinging movement of saidfingers below a horizontal position, said fingers being so constructedand arranged to vertically pivotupwardly when the head of a bowling pinis passed therebetween and pivot downwardly into a horizontally disposedposition When the neck of a bowling pin is received therebetween, aplurality of U-shaped brackets each having a pair of slots in the webthereof, said slots extending perpendicular to the legs of said bracketand receiving a pair of said arms, means connecting the ends of saidpairs of arms remote from said housing to each other, means securingsaid connecting means to the bracket, a solenoid disposed between thelegs of each of said brackets, and a plunger actuated by said solenoidsand engaging said fingers to vertically pivot said fingers into theirpin release positions, a leaf spring carried by said means for securingsaid connecting means to said bracket, said leaf spring engaging saidfinger and yieldingly urging it into a horizontally disposed position.

THOMAS C. PULVINO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,308,255 Penwell et al July 1,1919 1,652,597 Ayers Dec. 13, 1927 2,026,071 Stolp et al Dec. 31, 19352,283,614 Schmidt May 19, 1942 2,353,189 Rundell July 11, 1944

